Could someone take a peek at this interface ?

[Steven Cappiello]

Hi,

I have attached a file that has an interface that I've built over time, but now, to me, appears too cluttered. Could anyone share any ideas with me for how to lay it out more logically ? Or, just share any opinions or first thoughts you have ?

It is the main record window for a job applicant database.

Any advice would be most appreciated,.. I think I've been too wrapped up in this database for too long to look at it with fresh eyes.

design.fp7.zip

[Ocean West]

I think you have a nice layout, colors are soothing, perhaps a bit too dark for my taste, but overall your layout seems logical if there is too much visually and you don't need to see all this at one time perhaps move stuff to a secondary data entry layout.

here is a good resource.

GUI Bloobers

[Fenton]

OK, here's my take on it; with an emphasis on "less busy."

1. The square multi-color buttons within a rounded "tab" at the top is basically a "mixed metaphor." It looks a lot better without the squares. I think they'll still figure out that those are buttons, especially if other layouts have similar.

2. Rather that black edges on all the fields and buttons, I used the very dark blue, which was the edge of the tab. It's subtle, but a better blend.

3. Some of the fields were 249 px, and should be 250 px. For some reason 7 was adding an artifact to the right border (I've seen this, but don't know why).

4. The 3 horizontal blocks of fields across the middle were not aligned to each other, at top; a few pixels difference; but it adds to the "unsettled" feeling.

5. The labels above fields were too close; much closer that labels beside fields. I like a little room.

6. I hate to say this in mixed company, but your pencil, though large, is a little fuzzy. It could stand being taken out to a graphics program and cleaned of some of that anti-aliasing -]

design2.zip

[transpower]

I recommend that field labels be left-justified; it's easier on the eyes that way. Also I think that the exit tab should be on the right side.

[Ted S]

Two things jump out at me right away:

1. I'm not a big fan of dark backgrounds but I have seen some that look pretty good but they were less cluttered.

2. Screen resolution.

djbeta, this is not aimed solely at you but more of an open question to everyone. I've never been a Mac guy so maybe this is commom practice but every sample FileMaker database that I have ever seen seems to be designed for low resolution monitors. I'm running 1280 x 1024 on a 21" inch screen and typical FileMaker solutions fill about 1/4 to 1/3 of my monitor. I personally have always designed for 1024 x 768 in an attempt to keep the window and mouse click count down for the average user.

We have an ERP system (non FileMaker) that was designed for the "lowest common denominator" and it is a really annoying because of the dizzying number of windows that one must visit to get even a partial view of the "big picture".

These low resolution designs give me the impression of a postage stamp in the corner of a blanket.

Aren't higher resolution systems more common nowdays and wouldn't it be better to design for the future rather than design for the past?

[smorr]

I find it looks busy because it looks like a checkerboard. The 30 + white fields on the dark background have each of the fields screaming for visual attendtion and your eye doesn't scan the layout well. Set your background lighter - and Use the contrast of light on Dark only for very important details -- try to keep the eye from jumping

It seems you have about 3 conceptual blocks of data but it is spread all over the layout.

Top right appear to be flag regarding the workflow/process

Bottom right appears to be more detail items regarding the same thing. but you have a listing of references and letters in between.

Would the "assigned to" be considered to be yet another part of the approval process?

Could you block off the applicant name/address information as 1 area.

The documentation (documents/ references) as a second area

And all the checkpoints in the approval process (including assigned to ) as the third

as others have said -- double check field sizes and alignments (use the object size palette in pixel mode -- it is your new best friend)

Get the fugly blocky buttons out of the command bar at top -- go for rounded rect or no real button -- just an implicit area for clicking.

Take a look at my pdf of adjustments

design.pdf

[Steven Cappiello]

wow, thanks a lot for all the suggestions... and especially for the attachments you guys uploaded..

I am getting some of the point...

re: the low resolution design:

YES... it is killing me that I can't design for higher resolutions.. unfortunately the standard monitor resolution for the secretaries I'm designing for is 15"(or 14") LCD with a max 1024x768 pixels...

and the problem is many of them set the resolution to 800x600" because they don't want to go blind with small text... so I have to build with them in mind... and furthermore, something that works on 800x600" on the mac will not display correctly on the PC as you know because the PC version of Filemaker opens documents in Windows within a window. It's terrible.. but I have to work within my boundaries.

The slightly good news is that the big wigs that I hope will use the system generally have large monitors, so for them I can design with "bigger" ideas in mind.

again, thank you very much for the help!!